THE KABBALAH OF TIME:
Kahane and Wainer explain that the calendar is the master key to unlock the hidden rationale behind the formal structure of ancient sacred texts, as well as to understand basic mystical concepts. When comprehended within the context of the Jewish calendar, these works reveal the spiritual energy of each week, serving as a practical guide for self-analysis and development.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Week 41 (From the Book): Not to Become Corrupt

The fox is saying, "Woe to him that builds his house without justice and his chambers
without lawfulness; that uses his friend’s service without wages, and does not
give him for his hire.” (Jeremiah 22:13)

Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar would say: Every gathering that is for the sake of Heaven, will
endure; that is not for the sake of Heaven, will not endure.

Yesod
shebeYesod (foundation and
firmness within the context of foundation and firmness)

In the forty-first week, the fox in Perek Shirah warns against those who
build without righteousness and justice.(Jeremiah 22:13) This week, beginning with the fast of the 17th
of Tammuz, we begin the three weeks
of mourning connected to the destruction of the Temple, the House of G-d. This
destruction occurred due to the injustice and lawlessness of the Jews of that
time.

This week also marks the Chassidic
holiday of the 12th and 13th of Tammuz. This holiday, known as Yud
Beit-Yud Gimmel Tammuz, celebrates the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef
Yitzchak Schneersohn’s birthday as well as the date in which he was freed from
prison in Communist Russia. Among Chabad Chassidim, this day is called “Chag HaGeulah,” the Festival of Redemption.[1]

The fox is considered a symbol of the
Temple’s destruction, as depicted in the Talmud in the tractate of Makkot. The Talmud tells the story of
how a group of rabbis were gathered soon after the destruction of the Temple
and saw a fox enter the area of the Temple Mount where the holiest part of the
Temple had stood. While all the other rabbis cry when they see the fox, Rabbi
Akiva is able to see this event with optimism and in a positive light
(characteristic related to the month of Tammuz),
to such an extent that he starts to laugh. Rabbi Akiva then explains to them
how the Torah makes the prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction dependent on the
prophecy of its redemption. Now that the first prophecy was fulfilled, the
second will be fulfilled as well. As he explains to the other rabbis the
reasoning behind his laughter, Rabbi Akiva is able to truly comfort them.(See
Conclusion)

At the time of Yud Beit-Yud Gimmel Tammuz, the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe challenged
the entire Soviet empire at the time and won.[2]
Despite his open defiance, refusal to obey orders, and insistence of not giving
up even an “inch” of his religiosity, the Previous Rebbe was eventually
released from prison, and his death sentence was commuted. Years later, the
Soviet Union itself, filled with injustice and G-dlessness, collapsed, along
with the Berlin Wall. The Seventh Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, predicted
the fall of the Soviet Empire many years prior, when few thought that such a
collapse was even possible.

The number forty-one spells the
Hebrew word em, which means mother.
This appears to be quite appropriate for the beginning of the three weeks of
mourning, the second half of which takes place during the month of Av, which in Hebrew means father. In
this historically difficult period for the Jewish people, it is important to
remember that the difficulties presented to us by G-d are ultimately for our
own good, just like a father and mother sometimes need to be strict with their
child.

In Judaism, the mother is the akeret habayit, the anchor of the house
- she is responsible for the home’s values ​​and general atmosphere. Similarly,
the upkeep and moral atmosphere of the Temple, G-d’s home, was primarily the
responsibility of the kohanim
(priests). Much of the extremely holy service of the priests paralleled house
chores: the work involved in the daily sacrifices, the lighting of the Menorah,
and tending to the upkeep of the Temple were very similar to cooking, cleaning,
and lighting candles for Shabat.

During the time of the Second Temple,
the priestly class had become enormously corrupt. Even the position of the High
Priest was open for sale to the highest bidder. The Temple itself could not
stand due in great part to this lack of morality.

Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar teaches in the
Pirkei Avot for this week that an
assembly that convenes for the sake of Heaven will be long lasting, but one
that convenes not for the sake of Heaven will not. The teaching of Rabbi
Yochanan is very similar to the above. He emphasizes the importance of not
becoming corrupt or divided due to selfish motives. The firmness of the
community comes from rock solid commitment to our principles and a desire to
fulfill the will of G-d. The best example of this is the Sixth Rebbe of
Lubavitch himself, whose efforts ensured Judaism’s survival despite intense
Communist oppression. On the other hand, when we do not follow the word of Hashem, the entire community suffers and
our structures do not endure, as was the case during the destruction of the
Temple.

The sefirot combination for this week is yesod shebeyesod: absolute firmness in our Jewish values. A lesson
in self-improvement we learn from the fox is that we must not allow ourselves
to be dragged down by dishonesty and thoughts of immediate gain. By walking in the
path of Torah, we will certainly be more solid and secure.

[1] When each day of the
year is given a combination of sefirot,
the 12th of Tammuz falls on gevurah shebeyesod shebeyesod. The Rabbi
Yosef Yitzchak was the sixth Rebbe, which parallels the sixth sefirah, yesod. Moreover, Yosef represents the sefirah of yesod while
Yitzchak the sefirah of gevurah. It is worth noting that this
book was completed on this date.

[2] Perhaps the most
famous excerpt of his imprisonment was when the Communist interrogators tried
to force the Rebbe to divulge certain information. When the Rebbe refused, they
waved a gun at him and said:

"Do
you see this little toy? This little toy has made a lot of people talk; it will
make you talk as well."

Rebbe Yisrael Taub and his son, Shaul Yedidya Elazer Taub, the First and Second Rebbes of Modzitz

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The date also marks the yahrzeit of emmissaries Gavriel Noach and Rivky Holzberg, who died "Al Kidush Hashem" (sanctifying G-d's Holy Name), as well as the Rebbe's miraculous recovery from a massive heart attack.

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Burial Place of the Mitteler Rebbe, Rabbi Dovber of Lubavitch

His yahrzeit (and birthday) is on Tuesday, the 9th of Kislev. The following day, the 10th of Kislev, is celebrated as the day of his personal redemption.